comfortable
comfortable — adjective
1. describes furniture, beds, or clothing that makes your body feel relaxed and at
describes furniture, beds, or clothing that makes your body feel relaxed and at ease when you use or wear them
The old sofa in the living room is very comfortable to sit on.
collocation: comfortable sofa / chair / bed
Aiko bought a pair of comfortable shoes for her walk to school.
This soft bed is so comfortable that Leila falls asleep very quickly.
Diego puts on a comfortable cotton shirt when the weather is hot.
The new chair feels warm and comfortable in the cold winter.
- uncomfortable
the direct opposite — causing physical discomfort or pain
用法筆記
Often used before nouns for furniture or clothing. Common combinations include comfortable bed, comfortable sofa, comfortable chair, and comfortable shoes.
常見錯誤
2. in a physical state where your body feels at ease, with no aches or tension, usu
in a physical state where your body feels at ease, with no aches or tension, usually because of a good position or pleasant surroundings
After the long massage, Theo felt comfortable and relaxed for the first time.
feel + comfortable (sense: physically relaxed)
Hana sat in the garden chair and felt comfortable in the warm afternoon sun.
The flight attendant asked if everyone was comfortable before take-off.
Nadia pulled the blanket up and made herself comfortable on the sofa.
Rohan stretched out on the floor and tried to get comfortable before the film started.
- uncomfortable
feeling physical pain, stiffness, or unease
文法句型
feel comfortable
get comfortable
make oneself comfortable
用法筆記
Typically used after verbs like feel, be, get, or make oneself. Unlike sense 1 (CLOTHES/FURNITURE), this sense describes how a person feels, not the quality of an object.
常見錯誤
3. describes a sick or injured person, especially in a hospital, who is not in too
describes a sick or injured person, especially in a hospital, who is not in too much pain and whose state is stable
The nurse said the patient was comfortable after her surgery last night.
medical context: patient + comfortable after surgery
Dr. Patel checked on Mr. Chen and found him comfortable and resting well.
The doctors say Grandma is comfortable and her pain is under control.
After the operation, the little girl looked comfortable and slept peacefully through the night.
- stable
medical term meaning condition is not getting worse
- resting comfortably
a fixed medical phrase combining both rest and comfort
用法筆記
Used primarily in medical reporting to reassure family members. Frequently appears in the pattern 'the patient is comfortable and (doing well / resting / stable).' Distinguish from sense 2 (PHYSICALLY OKAY): sense 3 is restricted to medical contexts where pain management is the focus.
常見錯誤
4. not feeling worried, nervous, or uncertain about a situation, an idea, or a rela
not feeling worried, nervous, or uncertain about a situation, an idea, or a relationship with someone
Tomás felt comfortable speaking in front of a large audience for the first time.
comfortable + gerund (speaking)
Yara is not comfortable with the idea of moving to a new city alone.
comfortable with + noun phrase
The manager felt comfortable giving Ravi the lead role in the project.
Priya does not feel comfortable sharing her personal life with work colleagues.
The teacher made sure every student felt comfortable asking questions in class.
- uneasy
feeling worried or uncertain about a situation
- uncomfortable
the direct opposite — feeling awkward or worried
- anxious
stronger — feeling nervous and worried, often with physical symptoms
文法句型
comfortable with + noun/gerund
comfortable + gerund
用法筆記
Followed by with + noun/gerund, or directly by a gerund. The negative form (not comfortable with / not comfortable -ing) is very common. Never use a to-infinitive after this sense — 'I am comfortable to do it' is incorrect.
常見錯誤
5. having the financial means to live well and meet your needs without the constant
having the financial means to live well and meet your needs without the constant worry of not having enough
The Okonkwo family lives a comfortable life on their farm in the hills.
comfortable life — describing a sufficient standard of living
After years of saving, Nadia and her husband now have a comfortable income.
collocation: comfortable income
Ravi retired with a comfortable pension that covers all his daily needs.
The Watanabe family lives in a comfortable house with a garden and room for the children.
- well-off
informal, describes having plenty of money
- affluent
more formal, suggests a high level of wealth
- prosperous
emphasises success and financial growth over time
- poor
having very little money
- struggling
finding it hard to pay for basic needs
- destitute
having no money or possessions at all (formal)
用法筆記
Usually placed before nouns such as life, income, retirement, lifestyle, or existence. This sense does not describe a feeling — it describes a financial situation. Distinguish from sense 1 (CLOTHES/FURNITURE): a comfortable house here means one that requires no financial worry, not one that is physically cosy.
常見錯誤
6. describes a victory or a winning margin that is so large that the winner has no
describes a victory or a winning margin that is so large that the winner has no difficulty achieving it
The home team won the match by a comfortable margin of three goals to nil.
collocation: comfortable margin
Aiko finished the race in first place with a comfortable lead over the other runners.
collocation: comfortable lead
The candidate won a comfortable victory in the local election last Tuesday.
Diego's team took a comfortable lead early in the second half of the game.
- decisive
suggests the winner was clearly better and the result was never in doubt
- convincing
focuses on the quality of the performance, not just the margin
- commanding
suggests the winner had full control throughout
用法筆記
Used only before nouns — comfortable win, comfortable victory, comfortable lead, comfortable margin. This sense does not describe how someone feels; it describes the size of a win or advantage. Common in sports commentary and election reporting.